Remember these important tips when preparing for your visit to Capitol Hill.

Important tips:

  • Thank the Member of Congress or staff person for seeing you.
  • Prepare your remarks ahead of time so that you can be succinct and to-the-point.
  • Explain that your primary purpose is to let the Senator/Representative/staff person know about your work in aging and to make yourself available as a resource in the future.
  • Identify yourself; tell her/him where you live, and your affiliations with your employer/university.
  • Explain that you are a member of The Gerontological Society of America and describe some of its goals. Please leave a copy of the GSA Fact Sheet with the Member of Congress or staff person.
  • Describe your area of expertise and your research.
  • Give examples of your “clients,” the settings in which you work, what you have learned from your work and research, and how this might be replicated in other communities. 
  • Explain the policy implications of your work, particularly in relation to the state or district represented by the Member of Congress or staff person you are seeing. You may then want to refer to GSA’s Talking Points for Aging Advocates.
  • Ask the person with whom you meet about his/her priorities and work in the aging arena.
  • Thank the Member of Congress or staff person for her/his time and offer to be available as a resource in the future.
  • Give the person with whom you meet your business card or a short bio and summary of your research.